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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 S E P T E M B E R 4 , 2 0 1 7 F O C U S S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P connectivity point design & installation / ME-NH-MA / 866-782-0200 / connectivitypoint.com network cabling / audio visual / security / wireless / cell boosters / telephones Connectivity Point specializes in computer cabling which is the foundation of your IT network, audio/visual equipment like fl at-screen TVs, sound masking systems to improve your offi ce acoustics, cell boosters to amplify weak indoor signal, telephone systems, and security systems to keep your assets safe. We're like IT guys. With tools. FREE ESTIMATES at connectivitypoint.com connectivity is everything. A surge in aquaculture start -ups B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r M aine has a fair amount of new activity in the aquaculture sector due to a variety of factors, starting with Maine's pristine water and protected embay- ments and rivers. Then there is growing interest from commercial fi shermen, with on-the-water skill, who see aquaculture as a viable enterprise as various wild fi sheries have closed or been curtailed. And Maine has an extensive network of aquaculture organizations that support education, business incubation, R&D and marketing. FocusMaine — a privately led economic development initiative — has recognized aquaculture as one of Maine's three signature industries. Here's a sampling: Maine Shellfish Developers LLC, based at Darling Marine Center on the Damariscotta River, received two Maine Technology Institute matching grants of $25,000 each to create a novel winter oyster nursery, allowing farmers to jumpstart the growing season and potentially reduce the current growth cycle by half. The process utilizes climate-controlled recirculating water tanks and development of an inexpensive, alternative feed. The project started this past winter with 100,000 seeds and saw good development, said principal Tap Pryor. A portion of seedlings was placed on a farm in April and is being monitored for growth. Aqualine LLC, which is also at Darling Marine Center, is exploring the manufac- ture of an affordable bioreactor to grow microalgae for feed. Other ideas include creation of a hatchery for mussel seed and cross-utilization of seafood waste. The new Maine Aquaculture Co-op, at Millers' Wharf in Tenants Harbor, is Maine's fi rst scallop farming cooperative. It has Maine Department of Agriculture funding of $46,000 for development of an ear-hung scallop aqua- culture infrastructure and the purchase of lantern nets, a scallop grader and start wheel. The co-op matched the grant with $14,297. It also received an $8,500 seed grant from the MTI to buy lantern nets; the co-op matched that with $26,897. The technique was imported from Japan. Open Ocean Oysters in July received a $25,000 matching MTI grant to test its oyster growing system, utilizing material handing methods to drastically reduce labor costs and size requirements of oyster growing leases. The goal is to accelerate growth and reduce labor needs in the nursery and grow-out phases of oyster farming. FPN LLC, another company working out of the Darling Marine Center, is devel- oping culture systems to rear microalgae for nutraceutical applications. American Unagi in July received a $10,000 Gorham Savings Bank "emerging idea" grant to develop culture technology for rearing wild-caught glass eels to market size to meet the growing U.S. demand for eels. T he pace of startups seems unabated in Maine. The state, known for its Yankee ingenuity, continues to foster entrepreneurs. Maine Startup & Create Week, Gorham Savings Bank's Launchpad and "Greenlight Maine," to name just a few competitions for startups, continue to be a springboard for small companies. Just in the past few weeks, we've seen Redd Bar, a three-year-old maker of energy bars, raise another $1.5 million to bolster its distribution, which now totals 1,000 stores. Of course, CashStar, a Portland gift-card business that a mere decade ago was a startup, just sold for $175 million in cash to a Silicon Valley company. S TA R T I N G O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » T P H O T O / DAV E C L O U G H Peter Miller and Merritt Casey helped start the Maine Aquaculture Co-op, Maine's fi rst scallop farming cooperative, at Millers' Wharf in Tenants Harbor.

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